Sir Keir Starmer would not call shoplifters ‘scumbags’, No 10 says in the wake of ‘data protection’ saga
Sir Keir Starmer would not call shoplifters ‘scumbags’, No 10 has said amid the ‘data protection’ saga.
Last week, a shopkeeper was left stunned after police told him to change his sign in which he called shoplifters ‘scumbags’ because it may be offensive.
Rob Davies, 61, who runs the Run Ragged vintage shop in Wrexham, North Wales, installed the notice to tell shoppers some cabinets were locked against theft.
The hard-working retailer put it up after he caught five thieves red-handed in the last 12 months alone and lost roughly £200 of stock to shoplifting.
He felt the police did little to help when he reported the five thefts and so he gave up doing so, instead taking matters into his own hands to protect his small business.
But officers later showed up at his store, demanding he remove a handwritten note that calling thieves ‘scum bags’ because it was ‘provocative and potentially offensive’.
Now, Downing Street has said that the Prime Minister would not use the same word to describe the thieves blighting Britain’s retailers.
When asked if he resonated with Mr Davies’ view, the PM’s official spokesman said: ‘It is not the language I would directly use’, the Telegraph has reported.
Sir Keir Starmer would not call shoplifters ‘scumbags’, No 10 has confirmed. When asked if he would use the word, the PM’s official spokesman said: ‘It is not the language I would directly use’, the Telegraph has reported
Last week, a shopkeeper was left stunned after police told him to change his sign in which he called shoplifters ‘scumbags’ because it may be offensive. He put it up after catching five thieves red-handed in the last 12 months alone and lost roughly £200 of stock to shoplifting
Mr Davies’ incident follows a warning from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) that shaming shoplifting suspects could ‘breach data protection’ laws
The spokesman did, however, state that the government had been ‘clear through our actions’ that they see shoplifting as a ‘serious’ issue and recognise the detrimental impact it is having on the UK’s high streets and local businesses.
It comes following a warning from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) that shaming shoplifting suspects could ‘breach data protection’ laws.
On an advice page for tackling shoplifters, the UK data watchdog warned that putting up images of thieves in a local area could ‘not be appropriate’ behaviour.
As a result, they advised retailers to ‘only share personal information that’s proportionate and necessary to achieve your purpose’.
But shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick called the advice ‘madness’ and suggested that shopliters should be ‘named and shamed’.
He told The Telegraph: ‘We should be letting the general public know of the photographs of people who have a track record of stealing in towns.’
Meanwhile, Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones admitted that shoplifting across the UK had ‘got out of hand’.
When asked if it was right to display images of thieves in shop windows, Mr Davies-Jones responded: ‘I think it is on all of us to be aware of what is going on in our local communities.’
Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick called the advice ‘madness’ and suggested that shopliters should be ‘named and shamed’. He told The Telegraph: ‘We should be letting the general public know of the photographs of people who have a track record of stealing in towns’
Meanwhile, Labour MP Alex Davies-Jones admitted that shoplifting across the UK had ‘got out of hand’. When asked if it was right to display images of thieves in shop windows’
The number of shoplifting incidents taking place in pharmacies and chemists across England has also been described as both ‘unacceptable’ and ‘appalling’ by Henry Gegg, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) chief executive (file image)
Taking to X, Shadow home office minister Katie Lam recounted a story about a constituent who had been ordered by police to remove pictures of suspected shoplifters.
‘He gives police CCTV, card details, licence plates. No action apart from a visit to say he must take down pics of thieves “because of GDPR”,’ she wrote.
‘Our system should crush the lawless and protect the law-abiding. It does the opposite.’
The number of shoplifting incidents taking place in pharmacies and chemists across England has also been described as both ‘unacceptable’ and ‘appalling’ by Henry Gegg, the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) chief executive.
In the past year, around nine in 10 pharmacies experienced an incident of shoplifting, while the number of thefts of drugs and other medical supplies increased by 88 per cent, according to figures obtained by the NPA.
Of the 476 pharmacies across England surveyed, 87 per cent reported an increase in aggressive or intimidating behaviour towards staff, while 22 per cent recounted instances of physical assault.
Around nine in 10 pharmacies experienced an incident of shoplifting, while the number of thefts of drugs and other medical supplies increased by 88 per cent in the past year, according to the National Pharmacy Association (NPA).
Meanwhile, nearly three-quarters of those who had reported an incident to the police described the response as insufficient.
Of the 476 pharmacies across England surveyed, 87 per cent reported an increase in aggressive or intimidating behaviour towards staff, while 22 per cent recounted instances of physical assault (file image)
Several pharmacy owners have resorted to putting up photos of thieves in their shop windows, wearing body cameras and even paying for security guards. Sanjeev Panesar, who owns a pharmacy in Birmingham, described a ‘noticeable rise’ in hostility towards staff
As a result, several pharmacy owners have resorted to putting up photos of thieves in their shop windows, wearing body cameras and even paying for security guards.
Sanjeev Panesar, who owns a pharmacy in Birmingham, described the ‘noticeable rise’ in hostility towards staff as both ‘disheartening’ but also capable of having a ‘lasting effect on job satisfaction, morale, and feelings of safety at work.’
Ashley Cowen, owner of three pharmacies across Leeds and York that have been subjected to incidents, described the lack of police action on the issue as ‘shocking’.
He also described witnessing brazen thieves going as far as to burn, cut and even sow through ‘steel grilles’ in a bid to access drug stock.
Mr Davies, who says he was driven to put his handwritten sign on his shop door because of escalating shoplifting in Wrexham, told The Mail on Sunday that he had no intention of taking it down.
He added: ‘The sign is staying – and I may even get a bigger one.
‘It’s a simple point, in my opinion, and succinctly put, and can’t cause offence apart from to anyone intending to steal from me.
‘I was even polite and put “Thank you” on the bottom.’
Mr Davies, who says he was driven to put his handwritten sign on his shop door because of escalating shoplifting in Wrexham, told The Mail on Sunday that he had no intention of taking it down. He added: ‘The sign is staying – and I may even get a bigger one’
The Welsh shopkeeper said he had received overwhelming support from fellow shopkeepers in the face of a tidal wave of theft in the town. ‘There’s been massive support everywhere since the sign went up
Mr Davies, 59, said he put it up a month ago in frustration after discovering that he was losing almost his entire monthly profit because of thieves – but was astonished to then get a visit from the police.
He said: ‘A police officer and PCSO came in. They said the sign was provocative and potentially offensive.
‘When I asked, “Why, who it could be offensive to?” the officer didn’t answer. The only person who can be offended by the words “scum bag” is a scum bag who wants to steal from me!’
Mr Davies said he had received overwhelming support from fellow shopkeepers in the face of a tidal wave of theft in the town.
‘There’s been massive support everywhere since the sign went up,’ he added. ‘Shopkeepers are all in the same boat; everyone is having stuff stolen, even cafes.’
A spokesman for the Information Commissioner’s Office said: ‘We don’t set strict requirements on how organisations should respond to shoplifting, as data protection law recognises that circumstances can vary. Instead, we provide guidance to help organisations use people’s information in a way that is lawful, fair and proportionate.
‘Data protection law enables retailers to share images to prevent or detect crime, as long as it’s necessary and proportionate in the circumstances. For example, this could include sharing images with the police, shopping centre security teams, or other relevant authorities.
‘Retailers will need to consider the relevant privacy implications, such as having a legal reason and appropriate security measures, when considering publishing any images of suspected shoplifters.’
Shoplifting figures released this week by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed just 2.5 per cent of offences were recorded by the police each year. It said 50,000 shoplifting incidents go unreported every day as firms give up on the police (Pictured: Mr Davies’ sign)
North Wales Police said: ‘All reports of shoplifting are taken extremely seriously. We are committed to combatting retail theft.’
Shoplifting figures released this week by the British Retail Consortium (BRC) showed just 2.5 per cent of offences were recorded by the police each year.
It said 50,000 shoplifting incidents go unreported every day as firms give up on the police.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: ‘Many retailers do not see the point of reporting incidents to the police.’
